F/A‑18 Super Hornet lost after Houthi attack on US carrier
The Houthis responded to the American airstrikes with an attack on the aircraft carrier USS "Harry S. Truman". Although the American vessel was not directly hit, Yemeni fighters can claim success – as a result of their actions, the Americans lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet multirole aircraft.
The American aircraft carrier USS "Harry S. Truman" – after participating in NATO manoeuvres in the North Sea – has been performing tasks in the Middle East since the autumn of 2024. These include missions related to attacks on the Houthis and unblocking the Red Sea for navigation.
While the carrier's air group successfully attacks Yemeni fighters, the Americans also suffer losses. The first was the accidental shooting down by the American Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser – USS "Gettysburg" – of one of the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.
Later, in February 2025, the carrier collided in the Mediterranean Sea with a commercial ship, causing minor damage. However, the latest incident turned out to be far more serious in its consequences.
The Houthis have attacked American vessels multiple times before, but – until now – without success. On 28 April, this situation changed.
Loss of an F/A-18E Super Hornet
The target of the attack was the aircraft carrier USS "Harry S. Truman". According to the analysis by Defence 24, the threat likely was not detected or neutralised in time by the ships protecting the carrier.
As a result, the threatened vessel had to manoeuvre sharply, and its deck was not prepared for these manoeuvres. Meanwhile, the nuclear-powered carrier, capable of over 56 km/h, can – when making high-speed turns – incline significantly, and such a situation likely occurred during the Houthis' attack.
As a result, an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the VFA-136 Knighthawks squadron, which was being towed on the deck at the time, along with the tractor pulling it, went overboard and sank. Although the aircraft was not destroyed in direct combat, its loss is a result of the Houthis' actions, for whom sinking a $60 million (£45 million) plane is undoubtedly a success.
